davidthedesigner

the drawbacks of being a designer #4

As you'll have seen (if you're paying attention at the back there), I was on out on the road yesterday morning. And as well as seeing Angie tootling by, I got stuck for a while behind a Waitrose lorry. And there was something that caught my eye. Something that wasn't quite right.

Can you see what it is?

Well I'll tell you: whoever had applied the vehicle graphics had managed to get the s in the logo upside down. And more to the point, it was bugging me. And it bugs me still.

You see, only a typographer would know that there was anything wrong. The rest of you don't know how lucky you are.

And if you don't believe me, this is how it should be:

popping up all over the place (but mostly in america)

I still haven't made any decision on what I might do about a print version of the 52 fonts, but it's nice to see that the project continues to have a life of its own. Just in the past week it's been quoted by Scott Miller at the University of California, San Diego and BiblioBuffet.

Any other countries like to join in?

design for the majority

I know I wasn't alone last week in telling you about The Guardian's iPad App, but I did pass over telling you that it was launched shortly thereafter, figuring that you'd probably already heard about that from somebody else.

Whether you own an iPad or not (and I'm sort of guessing that most of you don't - yet), I think this is something you need to take notice of. Especially if you're a designer for either print or web, or both. Because this is something else again. Which makes it jolly useful that Aegir over at the Ministry of Type has written this very thorough review. I'd go over there and read it carefully, if I were you.

reading between the lines

I always imagine that if you read this blog then you probably read the same collection of blogs that I read - at least as far those related to design are concerned. Which means that you would be keeping up to date with what Mike Dempsey has to say. But on the off-chance that you don't, this post is a reaction to Mike's latest call to arms: for fellow designers to follow the lead of their 30-something compatriots and re-engage with a more literary approach to design, using classical styles and techniques from the 40s and 50s.

Because the thing is, I don't think I agree with Mike. And I say that because although I've read his post several times, I'm not entirely certain that I understand his argument.

But let's start with his first example - the 1980 stationery range by and for Studio Dumbar:

As Mike quite rightly points out, this was a piece of work that was going to have an effect upon the British graphic scene. And so it proved to be, for anyone who was working as a designer in 1980 (as both Mike and I were) would have immediately recognised that this was ground-breaking work. The graphic equivalent, perhaps, of hearing (in your youth) the Sex Pistols or Nirvana for the very first time.

Now I can tell you a little more about this stationery range, for it was in fact designed by Ko Sliggers. And assuming that you haven't been reading this blog since the very beginning, it was first mentioned in the first few days of my blogging life. The result of which was that Ko became a friend and occasional contributor to this blog.

But what puzzles me is that Mike seems to suggest that this piece of work in some ways opened the floodgates for all manner of self-indulgent typographic flights of fancy during the following two decades. Well, that may or may not be the case. But I find it difficult to understand that its subsequent effects should undermine or devalue the quality of the work itself. Of course, we now look back with different eyes and place different interpretations upon its values, especially if you've never seen it before now. Just remember that this received a D&AD Silver Award, and that Mike himself was one of the awarding judges.

It's of its time, though - nobody would deny that. Just as Wim Crouwel's work is of its time, as he himself would agree (just watch his little trailer to the Helvetica movie). And Wim Crouwel's work will be reinterpreted, as sure as eggs are eggs. You know, when I made my visit to his Design Museum exhibition there was a design student very carefully sketching into his notebook the new alphabet. "You can download that for free from the internet, you know", I remarked. But that wasn't the point of course - he needed to understand it. Mark my words, that will resurface in some other iteration in the next 10 to 15 years. Maybe it already has. What goes around comes around: 'twas ever thus.

But look at it this way - without Gert Dumbar and his studio, it's doubtful that why not associates would have emerged in the 1990s in the way that they did:

And if that work isn't of its time, I don't know what is. And that style itself led on to all manner of crimes against typography. Not least the suggestion to design students that it was quite acceptable to create Quark XPress files with 48 linked text boxes on a single spread. But without that we wouldn't have today's typographic trees or comedy carpet:

And surely anyone's mum or dad can understand and enjoy those, can't they?

It's not that I'm entirely against classical principles. And I'm certainly not against respecting the reader. Balance and elegance are very often all that's needed, such as demonstrated by Brian Webb in his excellent Design Series:

But if everyone's going to revert to classical principles, then we're going to miss out on a lot of vibrant, exciting and challenging influences. Because sometimes what's required from a brief is to 'push the envelope'. And if you wonder what I'm talking about, it's not the branding for the Olympics. Let me point you instead across the English Channel and to the work of Pierre di Sciullo:

And Philippe Apeloig:

So, sorry Mike. I'm afraid I'm not yet ready to give up my isms.

i've been wondering...

Hello, you out there. Yes, you. The one that watches but never comments. I'd like your advice please*.

The 52 fonts that you could use instead of Helvetica has long been the most popular item on this blog - and it represents around 50% of hits via Google (closely followed, I must admit, by that damned cat). But I'm not here to talk about cats - I'm here to talk about type.

I've been wondering whether to turn the 52 fonts series into a book. What do you think? Would you buy it if I did?

Please let me know. And if you're too shy to leave a comment, just drop me an email at davidthedesigner(at)studiohyde.com.

* Of course, the same invitation is open to all of you who do, or have, commented. The more who respond, the better - obviously.

the drawbacks of being a designer #3

After my silent wiz around the streets of London on Saturday I wandered along the riverside for a peek at the Design Museum. Now first of all I have a confession to make, which shocks me just as much as it will probably shock you: this was my first ever visit to the Design Museum. It's not that I've been trying to avoid it - it's just that it's in a part of London that's a bit off the beaten track for me. And that's been a big mistake on my part, really. Still, things will be a little easier in that respect once it moves to its new home up west.

I'd specifically wanted to catch the Wim Crouwel exhibition before it closed - so I managed to do that by the skin of my teeth. And I'll give you a rundown on that another day. Meantime I'm going to tell you about another little display in the foyer there: the work of some of the high achievers in the International Society of Typographic Designer's Student Assessment Scheme. It's easy to overlook, but well worth stopping for. But this is a tale of why it sometimes doesn't help to be a graphic designer: because when we look at anything related to typography we never simply take things at face value. And such is the case with this excellently-presented proposal from Jun Kwon: a wayfinding system for cyclists in central London.

Because I looked at this and all I can think is that there isn't a road junction in London where you would carry straight on in a northerly direction to get to Holborn, turn left to get to Picadilly Circus, and take a north easterly turn to reach Covent Garden. Or are you going to prove me wrong?

You see, that's just one of the drawbacks over being a designer: thinking too much about what you see in front of you.

That aside, though, you can read more about Jun's Cycling Cities project over on his web site.

letters i love #2

Antique Olive.

Actually, I didn't know that I loved Antique Olive until I read this week's Type Tuesday post on the Eye Magazine blog. And it's sort of what's set this series in motion.

And I have a confession to make: I've only ever used Antique Olive once in my career. Between graduating on a Friday and starting my very first job on a Monday, I had a small freelance job to keep me busy over the weekend. A leaflet for British Rail - but only the artwork, mind. With headlines in Antique Olive. It wouldn't have been my choice at the time, though.

But looking at those French curves today, maybe I ought to reconsider.

letters i love #1

Bembo Italic.

Learning kerning

End of the week, friday and we all live for the weekend. Unless of course you might be a designer and you don't necessarily live for the weekend, as you never stop thinking with the exception of sleep I suppose. (I can tell you for sure I do not dream about design, deadlines perhaps but that's a whole different kettle of fish all together) So yes Friday were all looking forward to relaxing, so I thought after yesterdays rant, I'd post something a little less weighty. I'm not a huge typography fan but recently I have come to appreciate and yes, adopt a geek type of sensibility. Below are a couple of examples I've spotted recently of bad kerning quite a fundamental corner stone of design. Isn't interesting that these examples come from opposite ends of the retail spectrum? I guess no one is safe from the designers who don't learn to kern!

Pizza Hut on Cambridge Heath road.

Waitrose advertising, Elephant & Castle station, nationwide campaign.

It's amusing to see such a simple element subjected to a lack of knowledge, and would love to know how wide spread this principle extends. If you have any bad kerning photographs please by all means do share. A simple observation that would however go unnoticed to the general public, but us designers, we don't switch off really do we? 

In any case I hope you might have enjoyed one or two posts, and advocate criticism, comments and ridicule... constructively of course... 

Joe 'Hug' Hughes

French typography

I have visited France many times, and am always fascinated by the style present in buildings, fashion and typography. They have such a unique appearance that I admire.

Being a typography geek (something to be immensely proud of) I am often intrigued by the hand drawn lettering. The lost dog poster above caught my eye whilst in Lille last year. Something about the curly yet simple letterforms just ooze French.

In my opinion, French hand drawn type is so much more beautiful than British, but is that just because I’m viewing its idiosyncrasies with a British pair of eyes?